The Blue Scroll
by ayane-88
Summary: Sun Quan chose the blue scroll, chose to side with Wei. He took her away from Liu Bei. And gave her to another man.
1. Chapter 1

The day had finally come. The day of her departure from her home with the man she was going to marry. Yet, Sun Shangxiang imagined it to be completely different — her eyes were set on one man, Liu Bei, the virtuous leader of Shu, the man whom everyone loved. Including her. Thinking of him always made her happy. Ever since the Shouchun battle, he kept occupying her mind. She had seen him couple of times while he visited her brother to discuss the politics of the land; and every time, he captured her attention. The perfect man, full of compassion for others, caring for the people and promising everyone a bright future. He treated her with such respect; and every time he called her "my lady", her heart would pound beyond control. He was the one for her, and even when she never cared much before about romance — being occupied with her training — she had decided that she wanted him. And it seemed he wanted her as well. The word "love" never appeared in their conversations, but sometimes people didn't need to hear it. They could feel it growing between two people.

When Shu offered alliance, Sun Shangxiang was sure this would bring her closer to her lord. Yet, at nearly the same time, a message arrived from Wei. They called for Wu's surrender. Both options were, as much as she didn't want to admit, positive for her kingdom — yet she was sure Sun Quan would make the wise choice and ally with Liu Bei. That's what Sun Ce would do, for sure. He would have never given up!

But then, he took the blue scroll and said those words that made her heart sink: "We will not surrender to Wei! We will forge an alliance with them!"

The message threw the retainers of Wu into confusion. Many understood his intentions. Shu would not survive on its own as it was. They would be better off letting their enemies in green perish while Wu gained strength fighting the Wei threat. But it was almost too much for Sun Shangxiang, especially when she saw Zhuge Liang quickly making his leave — she didn't even have time to say anything to him. She wanted so badly for him to tell Liu Bei that she was sorry.

Yet, there was still a chance for her, she believed. "He will not agree to it! He will never side with us! Sun Quan will have to ally with Shu."

Sun Quan immediately set off with Zhou Yu for Xuchang, Cao Cao's castle. She was sure that the trip would prove to be a fruitless effort, or in the worst case scenario, a hostage situation.

A couple of days passed since Sun Quan's departure. The whole kingdom anxiously awaited his return to learn the future of the land. Sun Shangxiang wanted him back already as well. Secretly, she clung onto the hope that he would announce upon his arrival that Wei refused, so that maybe her kingdom's alliance with Shu — her union with Liu Bei — could be more than just a young girl's daydream.

Lord Liu Bei would definitely accept him. He would understand that he was wrong at first. This thought clouded her mind like a winter sky. She was sure her love for Liu Bei wasn't just a mere crush. She wanted to be with him. Yet, if Sun Quan lost his nerve and sided with the menace that was Wei, it would all be over. She sometimes considered running away if such a thing were to happen, but she loved her home. She loved her people. As their brave princess, she could not break their hearts.

She spent those dreadful days practicing her archery, mostly in solitude. For the moment, she was resting in her chambers, lying on her bed and once again fretting over her beloved. Sometimes, she hated herself for being so single-minded these days, but she couldn't help those same thoughts creeping into her mind at all hours. Even the fact he was already married to other women didn't matter much to her. All this worrying made her weak, and she slowly drifted into a much-needed rest. Though, the respite didn't last long — a while later, she could hear one of her maids trying to rouse her.

"My Lady, I am sorry to disturb you, but your brother has returned and wishes to see you now."

Sun Shangxiang didn't react at first; but when she finally came to her senses, she nearly catapulted out of her bed. Thankfully, she didn't crash into her maid, since she imagined that landing on a suit of armor would hurt.

"What?! He's back? When did he return? Where is he?"

"Lord Sun Quan is waiting outside your chamber, my lady. Should I let him in?"

She nodded before realizing how nervous she suddenly was. In a moment's time, she would have her fate revealed. She was certain it would be the one she had hoped for. As the maid opened the door and left, Sun Quan entered with a troubled expression. She felt a tightness in her chest. For her, it meant one thing: he refused Cao Cao's offer. He refused surrender.

"Brother, I'm relieved that you've returned unharmed. You look worried." His face almost made her want to run all the way to Shu. "Did Cao Cao turn down the alliance? Did you?" Her tone was a bit too cheerful even for her, and Sun Quan heard it all too clear. His face paled even further.

"Shangxiang, Cao Cao and I have come to an agreement. He will side with Wu. From this day on, Shu will be our enemy."

She suddenly fell weak and could not catch her breath for a moment. She froze before she managed to get a hold of herself, and she roared at her brother:  
"What?! Why would he?! He is Cao Cao, he sides with no one! I mean— No, this is all wrong. You were supposed to ally with Lord Liu Bei, not this scoundrel!"

Sun Quan had seen his fiery sister angry on many occasions, but this way beyond all limits. Her face was flushed a violent red, her fists clenched until her knuckles were bone-white. He was relieved she had no weapon in her reach. But he was not there to observe her tantrum, even if her heated words were starting to anger him as well. Nevertheless, he continued, "He agreed, and our kingdoms are to form an alliance. Shangxiang, I am here to tell you that this means you will have to perform your duty as the princess of Wu." He paused for a moment, pondering over ways to present this truth to her, but he knew that no words could make it sound better. "You will be wed. To seal the alliance between our lands."

"You want me to marry Cao Cao?! You have lost your mind! I don't love him! I love Lord Liu Bei. How dare you tell me this!? You, who married Lady Lianshi because you loved her, are saying that I must marry our enemy?!"

"You are a princess, and you must do what you have to! You are not a child anymore!" Sun Quan joined his sister in furious yelling. "But you will not marry Cao Cao! Even I wouldn't agree to such a thing!"

Sun Shangxiang felt a numbness encroach her and was completely beaten off track. If not Cao Cao himself, then who? "Are you saying that I am to become his son's wife? This is not making me feel better somehow."

"No, not him either."

"Then who am I to marry, Quan?" she asked, her mind jumping from person to person in a desperate search. If not the ruler of Wei, or his son… Then she saw the face all too clearly in her thoughts.

There was one man always by Cao Cao's side: the fearsome, proud man wielding a podao. The one-eyed general. She could cry at that instant.

Sun Quan quietly uttered. "You are going to marry Xiahou Dun."


	2. Chapter 2

"I WILL NOT MARRY HIM! I DON'T LOVE HIM!"

The roar of the tiger princess could still be heard echoing throughout the castle, but even her throat-wrenching screams and most violent tantrums could not change her fate. Soon, she was going to be wed to a man she had no love for, a man she didn't even know. All to seal the alliance between her beloved home and Wei, to secure the future of the land.

And it would take her away from Lord Liu Bei.

Feelings of betrayal stung her heart. Not only had her brother decided to ally with Cao Cao, out of all people; but he had traded her away so that she could be some general's pretty, little bride.

Sun Shangxiang met Xiahou Dun only once in her life — it was years ago, during the Shouchun invasion. That single encounter had left a bloody bootprint in her memories, bolstered by the stories she had heard of the one-eyed monster. He was but a blind follower of his vicious and calculating lord. He had murdered an innocent man when he was just fourteen years of age. This was the same man who had, according to nervously whispered tales, consumed his own eye in a fit of madness. She shivered at the thought that such a person was soon to be her husband, that he would be touching her…

It made her feel sick.

 _Lord Liu Bei, please help me… Please, don't make me marry that man._

"Lianshi, please, do something! You cannot let me go with him! Make my brother change his mind! Please!" Despite the fury in her voice, Shangxiang's eyes brimmed with tears.

Lianshi's heart hurt like never before. The princess was not the type of person to shed tears, but the news had kept her sobbing for days. Nothing could dispel the aura of dread which surrounded her charge these days. Her face had lost its once joyful glow — some people were beginning to forget her smile. Her ecstatic footsteps used to trace paths through the castle and to the training grounds. Yet, all that remained now was a ghostly corridor.

Lianshi gave a slight bow of her head, her gaze sinking. "My lady, I'd do anything to see your smile again, but this is your duty to your kingdom. I know how you must feel, but this is beyond my powers. Please, don't hate Lord Sun Quan for this."

It wasn't that Shangxiang had expected a different answer, but she kept clinging onto the hope that maybe Lianshi would somehow change her brother's mind. She didn't want to leave behind her friends, her family, her home — everything she had ever known and loved. Yet, she felt that accursed future encroaching towards her with each passing moment.

Her future husband — that term made her cringe — was to arrive tomorrow. Her maids had been sent to Xuchang weeks prior to get accustomed to the place she would call her prison. The alliance scrolls had already been signed, along with her fate.

The princess had refused to leave her room after the inevitable argument with her brother, Sun Quan. She had even said no to spending her last evening at home with her brother, her only remaining family. She didn't want to have anything to do with that traitor, who had given her away as if she were a horse.

He knew – he knew she loved Liu Bei, so how could he do this to her?! Sun Ce would never forgive him for cowering to Wei. How humiliated his and her father's spirits must feel, watching them from the heavens.

"I was supposed to marry Lord Liu Bei! Not him!" Shangxiang's voice rose again as she thought of the humiliation she would endure under Cao Cao's violent lieutenant. "He's not the one I love… He's old and scarred — I don't want him!"

She shivered as she sat on the bed, trying to fight back the tears blurring her vision. She kept imagining her Liu Bei's face upon hearing of her marriage. He had given up so much trying to hold back those monsters from the north. Now, he would have to lose her to them as well.

"My lady, Lord Xiahou Dun is around the same age as Lord Liu Bei, is he not? As much as you may hate him now, I don't believe he is truly a monster." Lianshi's gentle fingers took hold of Shangxiang's damp cheeks. Their gazes met, and Shangxiang's eyes overflowed with a newfound sorrow. She had never known her mother – Lianshi had always been the one to take care of her, even if she wasn't that much older than she was. Tomorrow, they would have to say their goodbyes to each other.

Lianshi's lips formed a small frown. "I want you to promise me something, my lady. I know of your love for Lord Liu Bei; but please, don't seal away your heart forever. You have to suffer now for the sake of our kingdom, but I thank the heavens that you will not be marrying a bad man. This is the only thing I will ever ask of you. You must do everything in your power to survive. Do you understand?"

Shangxiang's heart froze with fear, but she nodded silently.  
Lianshi brushed her tears away with a thumb. "When you are ready, give Xiahou Dun a chance. Appease him. He is a man of honour, and I feel that he may provide you a comfortable life if he grows to love you. I'm afraid as well, afraid for you; but I haven't given up the hope that you may find a life for yourself over there. Friends. Maybe even love. Please, for yourself – will you promise me that you will try?"

"I promise, Lianshi," she murmured through her burning throat. Lianshi hugged her tightly, tears beginning to spill from her eyes as well.

 _I promise you I will try, but no more than that… Xiahou Dun will never be my lord._

—

"To be honest, cousin, I never thought that one day, I'd be escorting you to pick up your very own bride! And what kind of bride? A real princess!" There was a tone of incredulousness to Xiahou Yuan's voice.

He had tried to get on with small talk; but during their whole journey, Xiahou Dun remained utterly quiet. His cousin had never been a very sociable person to begin with, but now his stony silence was getting slightly irritating. He hadn't spoken a single word during the course of the entire morning, and he was about to meet his wife for the first time! What would that poor girl think?

Then again, the man had been given the most unusual task of his life, so he probably couldn't help taking refuge in his thoughts. Was Xiahou Dun, the feared military general, actually nervous? Many were surprised that Cao Cao didn't marry the young woman himself — his love for beautiful ladies was known to everyone in the land.

Xiahou Dun knew the reason, though. It was to show dominance over Sun Quan, to let it be known that Cao Cao could take any of his family members and do whatever he wanted with them. They may have signed a treaty, but the two warlords were certainly not equals.

"You're quite lucky, you know. You're going to marry Sun Shangxiang of Wu, the bow-waisted princess," piped up Xiahou Yuan. "And she's not at all bad-looking, from what I remember. Let's hope she didn't turn ugly since the last time we saw her."

Xiahou Dun could have gone without his cousin's inane comments, but he was grateful that he didn't have to go to Wu on his own. As a man of battle, he didn't know how to behave in this unfortunate situation. His cousin's decision to have him marry the young princess shocked everyone, but he was going to carry out the order regardless. Just like he always did.

This was his life, completely devoted to his kingdom and its ruler. Marriage presented a bizarre concept to him — he spared no time for romance and all the trivial nuisances that accompanied it. Having a wife meant that he would have to actually spend time with her, time he didn't have even for himself.

His kingdom was his life. The glory of Wei was his priority, and each order of Cao Cao was to be followed to the minute detail. At the moment, his main objective was to see this young bride in person and have her safely delivered to Wei. For the sake of the land. Everything for the land.

How to behave, what to say — of course, he was aware of the formalities. However, the rest was a puzzle left for him to solve. One thing he was keenly aware of was that his future bride (what an odd term to address this stranger by) was a formidable warrior, probably not a spoiled brat who expected everything carried to her on a silver plate. Hopefully, they would get along well enough on the battlefield.

He remembered her briefly from the Shouchun battle. She had fought by his side for a tense moment, her arrows piercing the hearts of their enemies while his podao truncated both flesh and lives. Sun Shangxiang had the passion for battle – he had seen the fire spread in her eyes when they were striking down foes together. He wouldn't mind observing how her skills had improved over the years. Worthy fighters earned his respect, and Wei would readily welcome another talented officer into their ranks.

Yet, there was one thing that had been bothering him. There was hearsay surrounding a romantic interest of hers, particularly her infatuation with the ruler of Shu, Liu Bei.

He wasn't the man to care much for gossip, but there was a seed of truth hidden in every rumor. He hoped it was just the idle chattering of tired soldiers. Starting a marriage with distrust wasn't ideal, and Xiahou Dun quietly fancied that they could at least start this reluctant union with mutual respect. If the rumors proved true, however, she could pose a legitimate threat to Wei.

He remembered quite well how she had tailed Liu Bei, that tactless coward's every step. She had been so charmed by his "virtue". He scoffed. How could anyone be so spellbound by a man who treated war as an act of benevolence? War was bloodshed, the conflagration of human life, the fading breaths of the fallen, and the cries of those who had lost everything. War was tragedy in its essence, regardless of who was holding the sword.

"I can see the castle from here. Soon, we'll be meeting that lovely wife of yours, huh?" Xiahou Yuan gave a reassuring smile.

Xiahou Dun hoped that would be the last comment he would have to hear about it.

"Let's hope it won't end in a trap." Words finally escaped his lips. From the distance, they could spot Sun Quan accompanied by Zhou Yu.

 _So it's finally beginning._

—

It took the combined strength of the remaining maids to pry Shangxiang out of bed, and it required nothing short of a miracle (and a few ropes) to bathe and properly dress her. She had resisted with every fiber of her being, yet all her begging and threats proved futile. In her patience, Lianshi reasoned that everything the princess did was not out of malice but fear.

Frequently, she found herself silently daydreaming about how it all could have turned out differently. How she wished she could fling everyone back into the past, back into simpler times when Lord Sun Jian and Lord Sun Ce were still alive. Now, everything was left in Shangxiang's hands. Her future. The future of her kingdom.

The princess' love for Liu Bei could be passed onto the likes of Xiahou Dun, surely. Though, her skin prickled with fear at the idea that the stubborn girl would refuse to cooperate. She couldn't bear to imagine what would become of her lady then.

As they headed past corridors, Sun Shangxiang kept shivering. She possessed a grave countenance; and despite the maids' best efforts, she appeared ill. Her face was wan, and her eyes sported dark slivers underneath them. Her gaze traveled every corner of the castle; she gave her silent farewells to the place she was born and raised in. She waved weakly at the familiar faces around the castle. She had even forced a small smile onto her face at times — she wanted them to remember her this way.

"Lianshi, can I go and say goodbye to father and Ce?" she asked quietly.

Wordlessly, both women walked to the ancestral shrine. It was such a beautiful place, always full of lit candles, filled with the scent of incense. The spirit tablets of those who had passed were arranged lovingly around the altar. She stood by the one marked with the name of her dear father. Next to it was Ce's.

Both men were so dear to her. There wasn't a day when she stopped missing them. She couldn't help but think that if either of them were still living, she wouldn't be living this nightmare. Her eyes began to well up again as she lit up two incense sticks and prayed quietly to her beloved family, thanking them for looking after her.

 _Father, brother, please continue to look after me. And please, help me reunite with Lord Liu Bei._

When Sun Shangxiang finally emerged from the chamber, Lianshi gently took her hand and lead her to the main gates of the castle. They stopped before the great door. As the guards hurried to open the heavy gates, Lianshi fixed the flower in Shangxiang's hair.

Shangxiang looked at the woman mournfully and murmured, "Lianshi, help me…"

She couldn't do anything for her now — she had known all along — but what else was left for her? Only to desperately beg, but even that wouldn't save her.

Lianshi brushed a tendril of hair away from her cheek and spoke in a calm tone. "Have courage, my lady. There is a happy ending waiting for you. You just have to try."

The door opened. Both women descended the long stairs to the courtyard. The sky was light blue, pocked with thin streams of clouds. A chilly breeze cut through the courtyard and rattled the leaves on the trees.

And then she saw him, accompanied by his cousin, Xiahou Yuan. He was speaking with Sun Quan and Zhou Yu. He looked up and caught her gaze, just as he had all those years ago on the battlefield. There he was, Xiahou Dun. Her husband to be.

With each step, she felt her heart shattering in her chest. She suddenly found herself ready to cry again. She should be happy, shouldn't she? The person she had expected to see was supposed to be a kind man, a wonderful leader, the love of her life. But instead, she looked upon a scarred old man, a cruel-faced person whose hot temper was known to many. Someone without dreams, besides mindlessly obeying his lord's vile wishes. Someone devoid of kindness in his expression. This was the man she was fated to spend the rest of her life with.

In that moment, she felt like running away, but she knew it would cause too much of a scandal. Her mind leapt back to Lord Liu Bei – maybe he had gotten wind of the news and had already sent someone to come save her! She knew it was just a childish daydream. Wu needed an ally right now, and that ally had to be Wei. She had to be strong, even if her heart ached for an escape.

They approached the men. Xiahou Dun ventured a few steps towards them, his gaze briefly acknowledging her. He bowed his head and gave a greeting, his voice equally starved of passion. He could not force himself to show emotions he did not have, she thought.

"Lady Sun, it's an honour for me to marry you. Let our marriage bring prosperity and peace to the land." He looked over her once more, centering his gaze on her immobile expression. She was a grown woman now. If his memory served him correctly, she had grown a few inches. Maturity had graced her with a feminine beauty, but there was something about her face that seemed odd.

The fiery spirit he had witnessed on the battlefield was mysteriously absent, leaving in its place a bland, sickly paleness. His gestures were met with hollow eyes. She resembled a doll in that moment, finely dressed and propped and voiceless.

More than anything, she wanted to tell him to leave her home and never return. Instead, she stiffly returned the gesture, hoping he didn't notice her still-wet eyes. She suffered through the introduction with the utmost decorum, just as she had been taught. Just as both of them had been commanded.

"Lord Xiahou Dun, the honour is mine as well." Her voice was equally indifferent. "I'm sure our marriage will be the sign of a bright future for all in Wei and Wu."

 _To all, but me…_

The man towering behind Xiahou Dun, Xiahou Yuan, looked at her curiously and smiled. Seeing a smile on such a serious-looking man's face was surprising, but her posture did ease up slightly. At least one of the Wei men tried to look more cheerful. She had imagined that her future husband would be happier — he was marrying her. From the looks of him, he should have been pleased that he was getting married at all, since people like him seemed destined to be alone.

Xiahou Dun interrupted her thoughts. "I think we must make our leave, my lady. They are awaiting us at Xuchang."

Her stomach twisted at the new term, "my lady". She had been awestruck when Lord Liu Bei addressed her in such a manner. Now, she felt encumbered with another drove of grief. She wondered if she would be able to walk herself to his mount without falling to her knees.

"Please give me a few more moments. I'll catch up with you," she said, her voice nearly inaudible to him.

He gave a curt nod, seemingly understanding her need to say her final goodbyes to her loved ones. Lianshi hugged her so tightly that nearly all of the breath was squeezed out of her lungs. The woman, her lifelong friend and caretaker, wanted to cry in this moment, too. Shangxiang knew she was trying to be strong for her.

"My lady, be strong, remember what you promised me." Her voice was soft and full of encouragement. "Farewell, my dear."

She managed a reply, barely above a whisper. "Farewell, Madame Bu."

She turned to Sun Quan. He reached out to embrace her, but she stepped back. His face twisted into a grimace, but he understood. He knew his sister would forgive him someday.

"Shangxiang, I know how you must feel about this, but.." His voice grew increasingly quieter, as if he were uttering secrets.

"I have no brother anymore." She blurted without even looking at him. "Father and Ce will never forgive you. Neither will I." Her chest burned with a sudden rage. "Farewell, Sun Quan."

She turned her back and made a solitary march towards the awaiting caravan, leaving her brother standing motionless. Xiahou Dun and his cousin had already mounted their horses, and she wasted no time doing the same.

She didn't look at either of them. "We can go now…"

The horses came to a slow trot with Xiahou Dun taking the lead. They were tailed by a supplies carriage, carefully guarded by a platoon of Wei footsoldiers. Sun Shangxiang turned to look over her shoulder and waved a final goodbye at her loved ones. As exhausted as she was already, she was close to bursting into tears yet again as she noticed their figures shrinking with the increasing distance. She faced forward, silently drying the tears reforming in her eyes. She couldn't allow him to see how weak she was feeling.

—

The sound of hooves hitting the ground and the squeaking of the carriage wheels had been wearing away at her thoughts for a few hours now. Sun Shangxiang hadn't spoken a single word since leaving behind the gates of her former home. Xiahou Dun hadn't been too receptive either, but he was starting to get the feeling that he was supposed to talk to her. Every time he turned to his side, Xiahou Yuan would shoot him an increasingly hard stare.

"Say something," he mouthed for the umpteenth time.

He ventured a confused glance towards the young woman at the other side of him. She kept her gaze pointed towards the ground. Her demeanor was wracked with a silent devastation, but he hoped that her mood would improve with time. She had just been forced into a marriage with her enemy, a man she had only met once before in the heat of battle. He knew that most young ladies dreamt of finding love. A war-hardened, old loner like him couldn't possibly fulfill that dream for her. Still, he hoped that they could learn to enjoy each other's companionship. Tolerate each other, at least.

Xiahou Dun went back and forth with himself for a while, trying to conjure up a way to start a conversation with his new wife. He certainly fell short of the late Guo Jia, who made many women swoon with just a hint of a smile. He, on the other hand, couldn't manage small talk with strangers on his best days.

"I know we are getting married only because we were ordered to do so," he started. She looked up in confusion, her eyes wandering until she noticed he was talking to her.

Xiahou Dun wondered if he had frightened her. "I can promise you one thing. As my wife, no harm will ever come to you. I'll keep you safe, no matter the cost."

She stared at him wordlessly with those round, green eyes. With a cracking voice, she managed a quiet "thank you".

Not a moment afterwards, she returned to watching the ground pass by underneath her. Despite being smothered by the layers of her fine garments, she felt suddenly cold. The waning sunlight did little for her shivering. She wondered if she was still the same person, now that her old life seemed like nothing more than a pleasant dream.

Not another word escaped her lips for the rest of the trip to Xuchang.

 **Notes: I should have mentioned that this fic includes characters only up to Dynasty Warriors 7. This is the reason why in the illustrations they have the design from this title. Mostly because the new additions to Wei and Wu in 8 are just so uninteresting to me that I could not be bothered with writing anything about them. Plus I prefer 7 to 8 and played it way more times.**


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